Carbohydrates Overview Quiz

Carbohydrates

• Vital nutrients that supply the body with energy as the body’s primary fuel source
• Composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen

Simple Carbs

• Monosaccharides and disaccharides
• Single-sugar units (monosaccharides) and pairs of sugar units (disaccharides)
• The only absorbable form of carbohydrates
• Examples: White sugar, brown sugar, soda, white bread, cookies, donuts, candy bars

Complex Carbs

• Polysaccharides (long-chain glucose structures of more than 10 units)
• Examples: Seeds, nuts, legumes, whole-grain breads and pasta, brown rice, corn, wheat, oats

Natural Sugar vs. Added Sugar

• Natural sugar: Found in fruits or milk; healthier option as it contains vitamins
• Added sugar: Found in candy and sweetened beverages (soda); includes regular (cane) sugar, brown sugar

Added Sugar Intake Recommendations

• Should represent less than 10% of total caloric intake
• Equivalent to no more than 12 added teaspoons of sugar daily

Roles of Carbs in the Body

• Provide energy for the body: Carbs are the body's main fuel source; broken down into simple sugars during digestion; absorbed into the bloodstream as blood sugar (blood glucose); used by the body for energy.
• Regulating fat production: Full fat metabolism; Products of glucose can be converted into lipids.
• Spare protein: Protect muscle tissue from breakdown by supplying cells with glucose; body looks to glycogen for energy instead of breaking down muscle tissue.

Carbohydrate Storage

• Any excess carbohydrates not used for immediate energy production can be stored as glycogen within the muscle and liver.

Hormonal Regulation

• Insulin: Lowers blood sugar levels and prevents hyperglycemia; promotes glycogenesis (glucose into glycogen in the liver and muscles).
• Glucagon: Raises blood sugar levels during periods of hypoglycemia; promotes glycolysis (breakdown of glycogen into glucose in the bloodstream).

Key Definitions

• Glycemic index (GI): Classifies foods based on how fast a carbohydrate food is digested into glucose and how it elevates blood sugar.
  • Lower GI: More time to digest and don’t raise blood sugar that fast.
  • The less processed and higher-fiber a food is, the more complex its carbohydrate molecules, the lower the GI.
• Glycemic load: Measures the rate at which an ingested food causes the level of insulin in the blood to rise.
• Equal to the glycemic index of a food times the number of grams of carbohydrates in the serving.

Glycemic Index Scoring

• Score of 50: Food elevates blood sugar at half the rate of glucose
• Low GI foods: Scores under 55
• Medium GI foods: Scores between 56 and 69
• High GI foods: Scores above 69

Carbohydrate Intake Recommendations

• Consume 45 to 65% of total caloric intake from carbohydrates.
• This amounts to approximately 130 grams per day for the average diet.
• No less than 125 grams of carbs should be consumed each day.

Carbohydrate Consumption Tips:

• Make carbohydrates complex like whole grains.
• Choose less-processed, whole foods with slow-digesting carbohydrates such as complex starches and fiber as often as possible.

Test your knowledge on carbohydrates, including their types and sources. This quiz covers simple and complex carbs, natural versus added sugars, and intake recommendations. Perfect for anyone looking to understand the role of carbohydrates in nutrition.